


A Very Les Amis Christmas: 2013

by satb31



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Ice Skating, M/M, New Year's Eve, Winter, roaring fires and hot cocoa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 15:23:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 7,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1108442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satb31/pseuds/satb31
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A set of 31 three-sentence fics based on holiday-related or winter-related prompts -- one for each day in December.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. December 1: Jehan/Joly, Skiing Vacation

When Jehan proposed spending a romantic weekend just before Christmas at a ski resort in the French Alps, Joly was skeptical that he would enjoy himself– he had visions of himself bolted to his skis, careening down the slopes, his gangly body cartwheeling into a tree.

But it was Prouvaire who ended up flat on his back on the mountain on the first run of the day with his ankle twisted at an odd angle, requiring Joly to call on his medical training to determine that no, it was not broken, and yes, Joly would need to help him down to the lodge so it could be properly bandaged and set. 

To both of their delights, it ended up being a ski weekend without skis, spent in their big fluffy bed, with Jehan’s ankle propped up on pillows and Joly laying his healing hands – and lips, and mouth, and tongue — on him for the duration.


	2. December 2: Bahorel/Jehan, Sitting by a Fire

Bahorel swore under his breath as he trudged up the steep flight of stairs to Jehan’s garage apartment on a frigid early December night, a cord of firewood under his arm – he simultaneously cursed the blast of cold weather that had descended on the area, Prouvaire’s inability to remember to arrange for a delivery of wood for the stove that served as his only source of heat, and the fact that he was the only one of their group of friends who responded to Jehan’s message looking for someone with a car to fetch some firewood for him.

Yet Bahorel’s anger melted when Jehan greeted him at the door clad in bright red long underwear, woolen socks, and a fur bomber hat, a duvet around his shoulders, his face radiating gratitude and relief as he wrapped his cold hands around a steaming mug of coffee, exclaiming, “Thank God you’re here!”

Bahorel gave Jehan a gruff smile as he pushed past him, carrying the wood into the apartment and proceeding to build a fire in the stove as Jehan burrowed under the duvet on the sofa – a duvet Jehan would ultimately share with Bahorel for the rest of the night, enjoying the heat they generated together and never letting on that there was indeed a huge pile of firewood stacked behind the garage.


	3. December 3: Combeferre/Grantaire, Shopping for Christmas dinner with the Family

Combeferre had a shopping list, of course – for the past week he had been working on a menu for the dinner he and Grantaire were hosting for their friends at their flat the Saturday before Christmas, a menu that took into account Enjolras’ insistence on all organic food, Prouvaire’s vegetarianism, and Joly’s newly discovered gluten intolerance – so he arrived at the store with a plan of attack that would ensure he had all of the necessary ingredients for their meal.

Grantaire mocked the shopping list, of course – on the rare occasions he went to the grocery store, he much preferred to wander the aisles of the store aimlessly, often ending up with a cart full of bok choy, poptarts, and wine – so on this particular trip, he found himself trying not to chuckle at his boyfriend’s earnest face as he studied the ingredients in every item before placing it in the cart, then crossed each item off his typed list with the pencil he kept behind his ear.

They bickered their way through the store, of course – Combeferre leading the way through the aisles, while Grantaire pushed the cart behind him, making sarcastic comments while ignoring Combeferre’s increasingly prickly retorts – already resembling an old married couple, the sarcasm and dirty looks masking the fact that they were both remarkably excited to spend their first Christmas together.


	4. December 4: Les Amis Ice Skating

It was Courfeyrac, naturally, who organized the outing to the skating rink – the one who found a time that worked for his entire group of friends, the one who called the rink to inquire about hours and skate rentals, the one who made sure Feuilly had a ride and that Bossuet remembered to bring a pair of socks – but as Les Amis took the ice, the center stood at the periphery, leaning on the rail, his skates on, watching as Bahorel and Bossuet raced up and down center ice, pushing and shoving each other as they jockeyed for position; as Joly clung to the side, gingerly making his way around as Combeferre patiently held his hand; as Jehan and Feuilly graced the ice with elegant spins and jumps.

“Why aren’t you out there with everyone else?” came a voice from behind him – it was Marius, who had just sauntered up with a cup of coffee in his hand and was sitting down to lace up his skates as Courfeyrac turned to him with an embarrassed smile and admitted, “Truth be told, I can’t skate.”

Marius laughed and stood up, announcing, “Then I have come to skate with you,” taking Courfeyrac by both hands and leading him out on to the ice, where he patiently helped him to find his balance, giving the dark haired man words of encouragement as he laughingly resumed his rightful place as the group’s effervescent center.


	5. December 5: Enjolras/Grantaire, At an Ice Rink

Grantaire and Enjolras were conspicuously absent at the appointed hour of the excursion to the skating rink – they had had every intention of showing up to Courfeyrac’s outing, but Grantaire’s bed was too warm and too comfortable, and when they finally dragged themselves out of bed and into the shower, they found themselves wrapped in each other’s arms as the steaming water baptized their union.

When they finally arrived an hour late – with Grantaire’s dark hair a tangled mess and Enjolras’s flannel shirt buttoned wrong – the Amis had finished their skating session, sitting on the sidelines, rubbing their tired legs and their bruised knees and consuming paper cups of hot chocolate.

But every last one of them stayed to watch as the chief and his chief heckler took the ice, never taking their eyes off of each other, Enjolras holding both of Grantaire’s hands as he glided backwards across the ice, their pas de deux confirming to all present that Grantaire’s passion for their blond leader had finally been reciprocated.


	6. December 6: Combeferre/Courfeyrac, Decorating the Christmas Tree

When the proprietors of the Musain asked Les Amis if they wanted to put up a Christmas tree in the back room where they always met, Enjolras turned his nose up at the idea – Christmas was just an excuse for corporations to create a demand for consumer goods that no one really needed, in his view – but he knew his friends needed a little festive spirit to get them ready for the battles of the new year, so he did what any great leader would do: he delegated to his lieutenants.

Unfortunately Combeferre and Courfeyrac had vastly different visions for what the tree should look like – Combeferre was a puritan in his tastes, preferring white lights and simple handcrafted ornaments, while Courfeyrac was used to colored lights and shiny glass balls and silvery tinsel – so the entire process was fraught with dissent as they bickered over every detail, down to what kind of tree to cut down at the farm.

Ultimately the tree that ended up in the corner of the room was an ugly pastiche weighted down by an excessive number of ornaments that caused it to lean to one side, and burdened by one strand of lights that Combeferre could not get to stop blinking no matter how many times he changed out the bulbs — the rest of the group could scarcely contain their laughter when they saw it, save Prouvaire, who praised its eccentric style – but both men were strangely proud of what they had accomplished, toasting each other with egg nog as they sat on the couch in the corner, Courfeyrac’s head on Combeferre’s shoulder, their battles forgotten as they pondered future collaborations.


	7. December 7: Cosette/Marius, "Santa, Baby" Karaoke

Marius and Cosette usually didn’t participate in Thursday night karaoke at the Musain – mostly due to an unfortunate incident with Marius involving shots of bourbon and a duet with Courfeyrac to a Captain and Tennille song — but because this year Les Amis’ annual Christmas gathering was being held on a Thursday, they were in attendance, but sitting slightly apart from the group.

Grantaire took a seat across from them, leaning back in his chair with a bemused grin on his face, his voice nearly drowned out by Bahorel’s off-key version of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” as he said to Cosette, “I’ll bet you a bottle of my best brandy that you won’t get up there and sing a song for lover boy over there.”

“Ooh, I adore brandy,” Cosette said with a slyly innocent smile, as she got up from the table, put in her request, and took the stage, launching into a lascivious version of Santa Baby, grinding her hips seductively, directing the line “think of all the fellas YOU haven’t kissed” to a chortling Grantaire, and imploring her squirming fiancé several times to “hurry down the chimney tonight,” as Marius shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his face reddening as he thought about the possibility of playing Santa Claus with his brandy-soaked fiancee later that night.


	8. December 8: Jehan/Joly, Walking in a Winter Wonderland

It was Jehan and Joly’s first Christmas together, and they were spending it at the Prouvaires’ country house in a picturesque village in the south of France that had been the subject of the Impressionists with the entirety of Jehan’s family, including all of his sisters and their various spouses and children; the sheer numbers of people gathered in the house, fawning over their only son and brother, caused great anxiety in Joly, an only child who spent most of his Christmases in Paris with his parents with a quiet dinner at home. 

Jehan, for his part, basked in the attention, his mouth turned up in a broad smile as the presents were exchanged, until his eyes met Joly’s afterwards and he could see the abject terror written all over his boyfriend’s pale countenance; as the family adjourned to the other room, Jehan approached Joly and asked, “Do you want to go for a walk?”

Joly nodded gratefully, saying nothing, and Jehan took him by the hand and led him in the opposite direction from the party, where they put on their coats and hats and ventured outside; and as they walked arm-in-arm through the silent, snowy landscape, Joly’s breathing finally normalized and he murmured, “I love you, Jean Prouvaire.”


	9. December 9: Eponine/Combeferre, First Snow

Combeferre leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes, wishing he was anywhere but in his library carrel, with medical books stacked in precarious piles and his scrawled lecture notes scattered everywhere; but as he was pondering his next subject of study, he felt a pair of hands over his eyes, while a familiar voice whispered in his ear, “It’s snowing, Combeferre – come see it.”

Her throaty voice was like a siren call to him — he grabbed his coat and followed Eponine out into the library courtyard, where enormous white snowflakes were falling from the overcast December sky, and watched with rapt attention as she twirled around, clad only in a thin dress, the snow clinging to her long dark hair as she hummed a little tune.

“You’ll catch your death, ‘Ponine,” he said, stopping her mid-spin, taking off his coat and wrapping it around her, then releasing her to resume her dance, content to replace his study of biochemistry with an in-depth study of this bewitching young woman as she reveled in the first snowstorm of the year.


	10. December 10: Bahorel/Cosette, Roaring Fire in the Fireplace

Bahorel heaved a sigh of relief as he leaned back against the couch pillows and loosened his tie as he sat in front of the fireplace; he had managed to survive dinner with his new girlfriend Cosette’s mysterious and physically imposing father, who dispensed withering looks at Bahorel throughout the evening, particularly as he discussed his aborted career in the law, but who shook his hand firmly at the end of the evening, his blue eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he did so.

“I think he liked you,” Cosette whispered as she returned to the living room after getting her father settled into bed for the night, tucking her legs underneath her as she curled up by Bahorel’s side, enjoying the feeling of his strong arm around her shoulder as she added, “And he almost never likes the boys I bring home.”

“How many boys have you brought home to Papa?” Bahorel asked, raising an eyebrow as Cosette snuggled closer, her eyes twinkling in the firelight as she kissed him on the cheek and answered, “None as wonderful as you.”


	11. December 11: Combeferre/Joly, Snowed In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The full prompt from maraschinocheri: Combeferre and Joly (they can be friends, they can be more, whatever you like), snowed in somewhere neither has ever been, but making the most of it in any fashion; maybe each learns something about the other they never knew before?

Combeferre never knew that Joly was such a nervous driver – he had heard from some of his friends that Joly’s sense of direction was so poor that he sometimes got turned around going to the grocery store – but when it began snowing with increasing intensity as they were en route to Montreal one December night for a conference on anatomy, he watched as Joly’s grip on the steering wheel tightened and his face contorted with worry, finally suggesting shortly after entering Vermont that they get off the highway and find a hotel for the night.

Joly never knew that Combeferre could be so comforting – he had always admired his friend’s intelligence and quiet wit, but he had always seen him as an austere, almost impenetrable man, so when they checked into the little country inn they’d found off the highway and the two of them sat next to each other on the only bed in the room, both happy to be off the treacherous roads, he was surprised when Combeferre began absently stroking his back in an attempt to calm Joly’s frazzled nerves.

Neither man knew – though perhaps in the back of their minds, they had hoped – that this unexpected snowfall would change the purpose of this trip from business to pleasure, as the stroking turned into kissing, which turned into an opportunity to gather knowledge about each other’s anatomy instead.


	12. December 12: Jehan/Joly, In Venice for Christmas

Jehan had always been fascinated with the idea of Venice, longing to vacation in the city of canals, often citing the quote that “a realist, in Venice, would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him,” so when Joly suggested a trip to Venice over the Christmas holiday, Jehan was thrilled, envisioning himself sitting in a palazzo somewhere near the Grand Canal, scribbling poetry in his Moleskine notebook that he would later read to his boyfriend as they rode in a gondola under the Bridge of Sighs.

Instead, after they checked into their hotel – which was certainly no palazzo — Jehan tripped on an untied shoelace as they walked along a canal, falling in with a huge splash and emerging completely drenched from the ancient waterway as Joly suppressed a smirk behind his hand; the sneezing and coughing started later that night, as the chilly waters took their toll on the young poet.

They spent the rest of the vacation in bed, as Joly nursed Jehan back to health –providing him with medicine to heal his body, and reading him his favorite poets to heal his spirit – and on the last day of their vacation, Jehan was finally well enough to explore the city, wrapped in a wool coat and a long thick scarf as he walked arm in arm with Joly in the Piazza San Marco, as the pale winter’s twilight surrounded them and turned both men into romantics.


	13. December 13: Courfeyrac/Jehan, A 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' Inspired Situation

“I really can’t stay,” Courfeyrac said, rising from the couch at Prouvaire’s chilly little garret, where the two men ended up after their first date on a snowy, blustery December evening, a date that consisted of a poetry reading at a local bookstore and a light supper, followed by an invitation up to Jehan’s apartment for an Irish coffee – but Courfeyrac knew his roommate Marius would be pacing the floors at their apartment, convinced that he was lying dead in a snowdrift, so even though the curly-haired poet and his whiskey was highly attractive, in the back of his mind he knew he needed to brave the cold and walk home.

“But it’s freezing out there,” Jehan said, rising to meet Courfeyrac and stroking his arm, feeling the curve of his bicep, which made even more eager to spend more time getting to know the dark-haired law student; he decided to press the issue a bit further and slid his hands under Courfeyrac’s thick wool sweater, brushing his chest lightly with his fingers and enjoying the goosebumps his touch was creating, imploring him, “Stay here where there will be heat.” 

Courfeyrac hesitated for a moment, considering his neurotic roommate, but his hesitation only lasted until Jehan leaned in and kissed him, his soft lips so warm and welcoming that Courfeyrac had no choice but to murmur, “I really can stay.”


	14. December 14: Jehan/Joly, Catching Snowflakes

They were calling it the blizzard of the century, and Jehan and Joly had spent most of it tucked away in Jehan’s apartment, at first content to alternately read, bake, and make out on the couch, but as the storm dragged on their individual quirks started to grate on each other – Joly couldn’t stand how Jehan hummed to himself as he did any task, while Prouvaire cringed at the sight of Joly biting his fingernails down to the nub as he read his book.

“Let’s go for a walk in the park,” Jehan suggested as dusk arrived on day two of the storm, a walk that Joly quickly agreed to; they both bundled up in their thickest winter coats and wrapped their woolen scarves around their necks and silently trudged out into the city streets, where enormous snowflakes were falling and the only sound they heard was the crunch of the snow under their feet.

When they reached the park, Prouvaire stopped in his tracks, completely captivated by the sheer beauty around him and wanting to somehow taste this moment; he stuck out his tongue and started to catch snowflakes, mesmerized by the unique qualities of each one; and as Joly turned to watch him, he forgot the annoyances he had endured all weekend and simply watched, mesmerized by the unique qualities of the man he loved.


	15. December 15: Combeferre/Joly, Decorating for the Holidays

Christmas was approaching, but there was no indication of that fact anywhere in Combeferre’s flat – he had been so stressed about his finals that he had not even thought about putting up a tree or even a string of Christmas lights, choosing instead to hunker down in his apartment to study, effectively hiding out from his friends who had already finished their work and were already in holiday mode.

His self-imposed exile lasted until one week before Christmas, when he answered a knock on his door: it was Joly, who was running the same gauntlet of finals, but had remained remarkably calm for the duration; he stood there holding a small, skinny tree, a shopping bag bursting with ornaments and lights, and a gallon of Grantaire’s infamous egg nog, which he handed to Combeferre, saying, “I think you need a little Christmas spirit.”

Together they consumed the egg nog – neither of them really wanting to know the recipe – and stood the crooked little tree on one of Combeferre’s many bookcases, adorning it with two mismatched strands of lights and Joly’s collection of cat ornaments; then, as they admired their handiwork, Joly stood behind Combeferre, wrapping his arms around his waist and nuzzling his neck softly, feeling all of the tension drain out of his boyfriend as he whispered, “Happy Christmas.”


	16. December 16: Courfeyrac/Eponine, Hot Chocolate

Eponine hated her job at the coffee shop – she hated the silly apron, the early morning hours, the corporate drones who seemed to develop more and more obscure coffee requests each day – but it helped her family pay the rent and kept them off the street, and the few dollars she managed to get from the shared tip jar even allowed her to buy a few luxuries once in a while.

The customers were especially cranky on this particular Monday in December – maybe it was the bitter cold front that had descended on the city, maybe it was the pressure of pre-Christmas errands – but Eponine was on the brink of handing in her apron when a customer approached and said in a rich, deep voice, “Hot chocolate, please, with lots of whipped cream;” when she looked up, she saw Courfeyrac, Marius’s handsome roommate, who looked directly into Eponine’s eyes and flashed her a brilliant smile as he took his hot beverage, pulled his jacket collar up and headed out into the chill.

After that, he became a regular – coming in at the same time every day, ordering the same hot chocolate, and displaying the same contagious smile – and in those moments Eponine forgot about how much she hated the job, forgot about her dysfunctional family and the rude customers, forgot even about her unrequited crush Marius, completely succumbing to her seemingly reciprocated attraction to the dark-haired law student.


	17. December 17: Combeferre/Courfeyrac/Enjolras, Spontaneous Snowball Fight

A foot and a half of snow had blanketed the city, but even the most frightful weather wasn’t going to stop Enjolras from holding their last meeting before they all went their separate ways for the holidays, so Combeferre and Courfeyrac each set out through the snow toward Corinthe – Combeferre reluctant to leave his roaring fireplace and his philosophy books, Courfeyrac reluctant to leave his warm bed and his even warmer lover – but their loyalty to Enjolras and their cause overruled any other desires.

However, when they arrived at the restaurant at almost the exact same time, they found Enjolras standing on the front step, peering into the darkened windows, clearly agitated that he was not going to be able to hold their meeting as planned, and ranting to himself about how global warming was ensuring there would continue to be more and more storms like this in the future.

It was Combeferre who threw the first snowball at Enjolras, partially in frustration at the situation, partially out of a desire to get him to stop talking; Enjolras was at first stunned at his lieutenant’s uncharacteristic behavior, but quick to bend down and start making his own to pitch at Combeferre; then Courfeyrac yelped at the sight and grabbed a handful of snow of his own, which he deftly put down the neck of Enjolras’s red coat – and for a little while at least, the trio of men at work transformed into a group of schoolboys at play.


	18. December 18: Jehan/Joly, First Christmas Together

Joly loved Christmas – it was one of the few times of year that he forgot his usual worries about his health and threw himself into the holiday wholeheartedly; every year he would decorate his flat with Christmas lights sometime in November, play Christmas carols non-stop everywhere he went, and spend a great deal of time choosing just the right present for each of his friends.

Prouvaire, on the other hand, hated Christmas – the short days and the paleness of what sunlight shone through the clouds preyed on his melancholy nature, so during a time when he should be enjoying the beauty of the festive city and the companionship of his friends, he found himself seeking more and more moments away from his friends in quiet contemplation about life’s purpose.

For their first Christmas together as a couple, they knew their styles would clash, so they compromised: on December 23, they hosted a dinner for their friends, complete with egg nog and drunken carol singing and the distribution of Secret Santa presents, but on December 24, they spent it quietly at Jehan’s flat with a quiet dinner at home and Midnight Mass at the local parish, and on December 25, Joly presented Jehan with his gift – a trip to Sicily for New Year’s, where they could soak up some warmth and toast to the hope that this was the first of many hybrid Christmases they would spend together.


	19. December 19: Marius/Enjolras, Secret Santa Reveal

“You can’t buy him that,” Prouvaire told Enjolras, as he came up behind Enjolras as he stood in line at the local bookstore to purchase a stack of political theory books – he had been assigned to be Marius’s Secret Santa, and he saw this as a perfect opportunity to properly educate young Mr. Pontmercy about the philosophy behind revolution – but Prouvaire quickly pulled him out of line and steered him toward a different section of the bookstore to buy something less provocative.

When the night of Les Amis’ Christmas party came around, Enjolras shuffled over to Marius, handing him a clumsily wrapped package and muttering, “Merry Christmas, Pontmercy,” then stepping back as Marius tore open the package to reveal two books: the book of love poems Prouvaire had chosen for the lovesick young man, plus a copy of Marx’s Das Kapital that he had clearly sneaked into the bag when Jehan wasn’t looking.

“I love it!” Marius exclaimed, embracing Enjolras awkwardly, then sitting back down and starting to read – although much to Enjolras’s chagrin, the Marx sat on the table untouched as Marius dove into the poetry book, looking for poems he could read to his beloved Cosette at their next meeting – not noticing as Enjolras walked away in disgust, muttering to Prouvaire, “I’m never taking shopping advice from you ever again.”


	20. December 20: Bahorel/Eponine, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The full prompt, from butihavejoy: Pairing of your choice: I Saw Mommy (or Daddy) kissing Santa Claus (small child comes downstairs to find Parent A kissing Parent B who's dressed up like Santa)

It was Christmas Eve, and Gavroche couldn’t sleep – now that he was no longer living on the streets of Paris, but instead had a real bed in his own room in a flat, it was sometimes almost too quiet to sleep – but although his sister Eponine and her boyfriend, Bahorel, had insisted that he stay in his room until the sun came up Christmas morning, or else Santa would skip their flat, he silently crept out of bed and peeked into the living room, where the three of them had put up the tree earlier in the day, wondering if Santa had dropped off his presents yet.

As he tiptoed into the living room he saw the man in the red suit sitting on the living room couch, munching the shortbread cookies he’d left out that night, with Eponine snuggled next to him as they kissed and laughed – a sight that stopped Gavroche in his tracks as he tried to absorb the possibility that his sister was cheating on Bahorel with Santa.

Gavroche padded back to his room and huddled under the covers, contemplating what would happen to him when Bahorel found out about his sister’s relationship with Santa, so he was never able to learn that Santa’s belly laugh was strangely identical to Bahorel’s – but when he finally emerged from his room the next morning and saw Bahorel embracing Eponine in front of the tree, wishing her a Merry Christmas as she smiled more broadly than Gavroche had seen in several years, he swore that her liaison with the man from the North Pole would remain a Thenardier sibling secret.


	21. December 21: Enjolras/Feuilly, Angsty Christmas Shopping

Enjolras wasn’t planning to buy his friends gifts for Christmas, but after Combeferre patiently reminded him that as the demanding leader of the group, he really owed it to all of them to get them all at least something, he grudgingly made his way to the main shopping district in the city with Feuilly in tow to give him advice on what to buy, grumbling about the crowds and the commercialism and the non-stop Christmas carols.

Feuilly had to rush to keep up with him as they scissored their way through town, stopping at a bookstore to buy volumes for Combeferre and Prouvaire (as well as something for Feuilly when he wasn’t looking), picking up a new hat for Bossuet and a scarf in a similar pattern for Joly, grabbing some cologne for Courfeyrac in the scent in favored, and finally picking out some good brandy for Bahorel, pausing at the liquor store to consider an alcoholic gift for Grantaire as well.

Feuilly put his hand on his arm, gently suggesting, “Why don’t you get him something more thoughtful and less destructive?” and led him across the street to an art gallery, where Enjolras finally slowed his pace, consider each work and finally settling on a small painting done in the style of Caravaggio, whose darkness and drama he hoped Grantaire would appreciate, slapping Feuilly on the back in silent thanks for knowing them both so well.


	22. December 22: Courfeyrac, Secret Santa of Les Amis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Full prompt, from magictveitball: If you're not booked with Christmas fics can you please please write me a fic about Courfeyrac giving Christmas gifts to a bunch of little urchins with Gavroche and then going back to the Cafe when the other Amis are gone and decorating it for Christmas and leaving presents for all of them and just being the Secret Santa of the Amis

Courfeyrac loved Christmas – it was a holiday that tapped into his warm and generous nature more than any other – but it had been a difficult year for everyone living in the city, and the sight of so many poor children on the streets who would probably have no Christmas to speak of inspired Courfeyrac to act.

As the rest of Les Amis were out supporting strikers at a local big box retailer, he enlisted the only other person he could find – the omnipresent Gavroche – who helped him fill a truck full of toys, food, and clothing, and drive it to a drop off area where the children and their families could pick up what they needed, their faces tired yet happy as Courfeyrac and Gavroche extended their Christmas spirit to them.

At the end of the day, despite his exhaustion, Courfeyrac picked up a Christmas tree, some lights and ornaments, and nine bottles of wine, each one handpicked to suit the personality of the recipient (Prouvaire’s was a “flowery bouquet,” while Enjolras’s was “oaken”), which he set up in the corner of the Café, eventually sitting down with a snifter of brandy to await his friends’ return, happy to have brought Christmas to so many people in so little time.


	23. December 23: Enjolras/Combeferre, First Christmas Together

This Christmas was a significant one for Enjolras — it was his first Christmas since the high school senior revealed to his parents that he was gay, and it was his first Christmas that he had a boyfriend – Combeferre, who had been his best friend since they were 10, but whom he had started dating over the summer after a long lascivious kiss on the porch swing turned into something more during a weekend at his parents’ lake house. 

As Combeferre’s family traveled every Christmas to see family out of state, the two boys would not be able to see each other on the actual holiday, so on the last day of school before they went their separate ways, Enjolras approached his boyfriend at his locker, looking uncharacteristically shy as he silently handed him a package, enjoying the sight of his face lighting up at a first edition book they’d seen when they were browsing at a local used bookstore together.

Combeferre put his books in his locker and pulled out a slightly smaller gift and handed it to Enjolras, who unwrapped it to reveal a framed photograph of the two of them that Courfeyrac had taken last summer at the beach, with Enjolras looking pensive while Combeferre leaned against him, their blond hair reflecting the waning summer sunlight; the gift so touched Enjolras that he pulled Combeferre close, not caring what their fellow students thought, and kissed him long and hard and whispered against his lips, “Let this be the last Christmas we are ever apart.”


	24. December 24: Combeferre/Grantaire/Enjolras, Christmas Eve Cuddling

It was a chilly Christmas Eve in Combeferre’s flat, and he was standing at the stove, heating up milk for hot chocolate while Grantaire built a fire in the fireplace and Enjolras sat on the couch, wrapped in a quilt and flipping through the channels looking for something appropriately festive for the trio to watch – the rest of Les Amis had scattered to the four winds, leaving the three men alone on Christmas Eve to celebrate together.

“Love Actually?” Combeferre asked as he came in bearing three steaming mugs, handing one to Enjolras and placing the second one on the coffee table for Grantaire before he snuggled under the quilt with Enjolras, sipping his own drink and adding, “I never figured you for a romantic, Enjolras.”

“He’ll never admit it, but deep down he’s a sucker for this stuff,” Grantaire said with a chuckle as he came over to the couch and picked up his hot chocolate, taking a sip and getting whipped cream on his nose as he sat on Enjolras’s other side, putting his feet up on Enjolras’s lap and enduring his withering glare before the movie started and suddenly love, actually, was all around – both on the TV screen and on Combeferre’s sofa.


	25. December 25: Eponine/Combeferre, Christmas Morning

Combeferre always spent Christmas Day alone – his family was small and not especially close, so he usually would remain at his flat in the city for the day, reading and taking a long walk, enjoying the quiet contemplation – but the night before, when he arrived home from Feuilly’s annual Christmas eve party, he had found Eponine on his doorstep, not wearing a coat and shivering in the cold; without asking anything about the circumstances that led her there, he bundled her inside, drew her a hot bath, leaving her one of his huge wool sweaters and a pair of flannel pants to put on, and eventually making up a bed of warm blankets for her on the couch.

When he got up on Christmas morning and wandered into the living room, he was surprised to find her still there, still asleep, her pale face illuminated by the small tabletop Christmas tree that was his only decoration; for a moment, he stopped and stared at her, simultaneously mesmerized by her peaceful slumber and raging at the circumstances that likely made such peace so difficult for her to attain.

Eventually she awakened, and they would spend the day together – he abandoned his Plato and read Dickens to her instead, and wrapped her up in his coat so she could join him on his walk – his solitary, contemplative Christmas not so solitary, not so contemplative, but to the normally taciturn medical student, just about perfect.


	26. December 26: Jehan/Courfeyrac, Christmas Morning

“Merry Christmas,” Jehan murmured sleepily, as he rolled over in bed and put his head on Courfeyrac’s shoulder; they had a busy and stressful Christmas Day ahead of them, with visits to both of their families planned, but for the first time in many years, Jehan was actually looking forward to the holiday celebration – he had managed to find himself in a functional relationship for the first time in his life, and the melancholy that so often lurked in the corners of his mind seemed to have been banished, at least for right now.

“Merry Christmas,” Courfeyrac answered, pulling Jehan close to him as he lay on his back, his eyes still closed, thinking of how different this scene was from his typical Christmas morning, when he usually woke up hungover in some stranger’s bed, looking at the clock and running to his parents’ annual Christmas party with his pants rumpled and an indeterminate stain on his shirt – but he liked this new, highly domestic arrangement far more than he would ever let on to his friends.

Eventually they would rise from bed and get dressed – Prouvaire would put on his Christmas sweater and Courfeyrac would pack up the presents and they would head out to face the angst and turmoil that was present at any family gathering – but for now, they would cuddle under the blankets, together having found the merry side of Christmas at last.


	27. December 27: Combeferre/Grantaire, Hospital on Christmas Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The full prompt, from anonymous: R goes to pick up Combeferre from work at the hospital to go home for Christmas Eve and the nurses give him dirty looks and make him feel bad

Grantaire’s blue eyes are bloodshot, his dark hair is a tangled mess, and he’s wearing an old sweatshirt full of holes, a pair of paint-spattered jeans, and sneakers held together with duct tape – and as he stands in the lobby of the hospital on Christmas Eve, he senses all of the disapproving eyes taking him in, knowing in his bones that the hospital staff probably wonders about him, about who he is and why Combeferre, their favorite resident, would choose to spend his life with a man such as Grantaire.

It’s a question Grantaire ponders constantly – it’s what keeps him awake at night, lying in their bed, watching Combeferre sleep the deep sleep of the overtired medical student, constantly wondering if this will be the day Combeferre comes home from work and tells him it’s over, tells him he’s found a new man, a better man, a man better suited for his brilliance.

“Ready to go?” Combeferre asks, disturbing Grantaire’s dark reverie as he strides over to Grantaire and kisses him lightly, his eyes clear and his smile genuine; and as Combeferre takes his arm and they walk out of the hospital, for a fleeting moment – call it a Christmas Eve miracle – Grantaire actually believes in Combeferre, in their relationship, and even a little bit in himself.


	28. December 28: Jean Prouvaire, Happy Xmas (War is Over)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicated to my four biggest fans on tumblr: leighdadee, miserylovesjamesons, maraschinocheri, and butihavejoy.

_A very Merry Xmas_  
 _And a happy New Year_  
 _Let’s hope it’s a good one_  
 _Without any fear_

In so many ways the past year had been a battle for Jean Prouvaire — to call it a war would do a disservice to those who fought in actual wars — but he found himself fighting on so many fronts this year: coping with a father’s illness, the end of an emotionally abusive relationship, the melancholy that sometimes surged over him like a rogue wave at the beach, the anonymous critics on the internet who mocked his writing.

So many times he found himself alone, sleepless in his bed or gazing out the window of the train, wondering why he fought, wanting to surrender – yet at just the right time, he would find succor in his friends: in Bossuet, who always offered unconditional love; in Bahorel, who always stood determined to fight alongside him; in Combeferre, who always put a hand on his shoulder and murmured words of wisdom and encouragement; in Grantaire, who always knew what the dark abyss looked like but knew that the process of creating their art could help them both get across safely.

As he spent the week between Christmas and New Year’s as he usually did, in solitary contemplation, the fears came in the night – but this time, with his friends beside him, if not literally then spiritually, he felt that he finally had the strength inside to conquer them.


	29. December 29: Joly/Musichetta, New Year's Eve

The museum was packed with families celebrating First Night, and Musichetta had been talking non-stop for two and a half hours — she had been asked to come in the the evening and lead some gallery talks in the John Singer Sargent exhibition, so she had spent most of New Year’s Eve explaining Sargent’s masterful use of the medium to families from all over the world, who listened to her with varying degrees of interest and enthusiasm.

As she finished her last talk of the evening, at a quarter to midnight, the faces in the gallery were a blur, but as she looked into sea of visitors she saw Joly standing there, wearing the tweed jacket she’d given him for Christmas, an ice blue button down shirt, and a pair of soft khakis; Musichetta knew he had been working a shift over at the Brigham, and she wasn’t expecting to see him at all until the wee hours of the morning, when he would typically strip off his scrubs and crawl into her bed and nuzzle her neck before dozing off, lightly snoring in her ear — but here he was, his face pale, his brown hair tousled and his nails bitten to the quick, but his green eyes were bright and a wry smile crossed his lips.

As the visitors dispersed, she walked over to him, her blue eyes quizzical; before she could ask him why he was there, he brushed her wispy bangs out of her face and stroked her cheek, saying, “I called in sick so I could kiss you at midnight before Bossuet could get to you”; Musichetta’s mellifluous laugh filled the gallery as she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard, murmuring, “I won’t tell him if you don’t.”


	30. December 30: Combeferre/Courfeyrac, Christmas or New Year's Party

Courfeyrac always hosted Les Amis’ New Year’s Eve party – it was the perfect holiday for him, all laughter and bubbly champagne and odd couples tumbling into bed after impromptu midnight kisses – but this year he couldn’t bring himself to be excited about his party, unenthusiastically shopping for food and liquor and noisemakers and only doing the bare minimum to tidy his flat, knowing that this year instead of making his friends squirm as he and Jehan kissed lasciviously at midnight, he would be the one who would be squirming.

As midnight approached, Courfeyrac was slumped on the couch, a party hat perched precariously on his head and a bottle of beer in his hand, watching intently as Jehan threw his arms around Joly’s neck, touching his forehead to that of his new boyfriend’s as they swayed together in the center of the room; his gaze was so intent he didn’t notice when Combeferre sat down beside him and touched his arm, saying in a level voice, “It sucks, doesn’t it?”

Courfeyrac looked over at his friend, whose normally placid blue eyes now betrayed a sadness Courfeyrac realized was the result of another coupling currently taking place by the kitchen counter, and before he say anything Combeferre leaned over and kissed him lightly and tenderly in an expression of their shared pain, a kiss that opened Courfeyrac’s mind up to a possibility he had not considered previously, but the exploration of that possibility promptly became his New Year’s resolution.


	31. December 31: Jehan/Joly, Kiss at Midnight on New Year's Eve

New Year’s Eve was causing Joly a lot of anxiety this year – normally he would have spent a quiet evening at home with Bossuet and Musichetta, cuddled on the couch eating popcorn and watching the ball drop in Times Square, but this was his first year celebrating with his boyfriend Prouvaire, who insisted they attend Courfeyrac’s New Year’s Eve bash, despite the fact that Joly had never attended it before and that Jehan and Courfeyrac had broken up just months before.

When they arrived at the party, Jehan plunged right in to the crowd, hoisting a couple of shots with Bahorel and chattering a mile a minute to Grantaire, who alternated between listening intently and watching Enjolras, who kept fingering his phone in his pocket, wanting to check the news; but Joly, for his part, hung back, leaning against the wall, nursing a beer and counting the minutes until it was midnight, half-wishing he was back with Bossuet and Musichetta but knowing that for so many reasons it was impossible to return to the way it was.

But as midnight approached, Prouvaire returned to his side and slipped an arm around Joly’s waist, whispering in his ear, “Dance with me, Jolllly;” as the strains of Auld Lang Syne played, they swayed together, their foreheads pressed together, the rest of the party forgotten; and as the clock struck midnight, Joly leaned down and kissed Jehan, his anxiety subsided, knowing this was exactly where he wanted to be.


End file.
